Return mechanism for sound-producing records.



PATENTED DEC. 15, 1903.

0. c. & A. o. CLIFFORD. RETURNMEGHANISM FOR SOUND PRODUCING RECORDS.

APPLICATION PIL'ED APR. 3, 1900. RENEWED MAY 19, 1903.

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I H C6666 22 440- 7'4: NORRIS PETERS co. FHOTULIYHO, WASHINGTON. n. cy

- No. 747,299. PATENTED DEU. 15, 1903. G. G. & A. G. CLIFFORD.

RETURN MECHANISM FOR SOUND PRODUCING RECORDS.

APPLICATION F ILED APR. 3, 1900. RENEWED MAY 19.1903.

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NITED STATES Patented December 15, 1903.

PATEN Fries.

CHARLES C. CLIFFORD AND ALFRED O. CLIFFORD, OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO JULIUS WELLNER, OF PHILADEL- PHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RETURN MECHANISM FOR SOUND-PRODUCING RECORDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 747,299, dated December 15, 1903. Application filed April 3, 1900. Renewed May 19. 1903. Serial No. 157.834. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that we, CHARLES C. CLIFFORD and ALFRED C. CLIFFORD, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Return Mechanisms for Sound-Producing Records; and We do doclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to sound-producing instruments wherein a record is rotated, and thereby the sounds are reproduced, and We have shown for purposes of illustration our mechanism attached to a gramophone; and the particular object of our invention is to automatically shift the stylus and sound-box from the concluding to the commencing part of the record whether the record is of short or long duration and by the turning of a knob by hand release the locking means and start the record, and have shown the preferable means we employ in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Figs. 4., 5, 6 are detail views. Fig. 7 is a detail showing the looking at the end of the record. Fig. 8 shows the stylus and sound-box as elevat-ed before the commencement of therecord.

Similar figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout the views.

The instrument with which our mechanism is operated in the present instance is the well-known gramophone, in which the case 1 incloses a motor and above which is the disk 2, rotated by the motor, and on which is placed the record 3, centered by the projection 4. The record is a flat disk and is also used in several differently-named machines. Its upper surface or face is indented with a spiral line 5, which is formed by sound-waves, as is well known, the line commencing near the outer edge of the disk and thereafter winding inwardly toward the center of the disk, the line, however, on different records varying as to its commencement from the edge of the disk or its diametral point and its termination depending upon the length of the record, and while in some instances it approaches quite close to the center of the disk it will in other instances be somewhat removed. The above is especially to be noted, as our mechanism when unlocked automatically starts the stylus to the commencement of the record-groove and also automatically picks up the stylus and sound-box when the record-groove terminates, returns them to the commencing-point, and locks the mechanism, regardless of the length of the recordline or its commencing or terminal position.

We are aware that machines are already in use where by means of adjustments for each different record the stylus returns; but ours at the termination of any record, long or short, acts automatically, and no adjustments are required. When a long record is replaced by a short one, or vice versa, the mechanism acts equally well.

In contact with the record 3 is the stylus 6, secured to the sound-box 7, which is secured at one end of a bar 8, which at its opposite end is pivotally supported on a bracket 9, and a horn 10 is carried upon a support 11 in the usual manner, these parts being of the usual general construction. A belt 12 is placed upon the edge of disk 2, passing partly around it and around a pulley 13 of our construction, and is the means by which we communicate motion to our mechanism. In order to secure an even tension of the belt, we place a binderpulley 14: to run against its outside, support the pulley upon a lever 15, fulcrumed at 16, and having an end 17, in which We insert a spring 18, which at its opposite end may be inserted in any one of holes 19 in bar 20 which is found to be best for the purpose, and thus secure an even tension of the belt.

The wheel 13 is mounted on a vertical shaft 21, on which a worm 22 is made or which is secured thereto. The worm engages and rotates worm-wheel 23, which is loosely placed on horizontal shaft 24, which only partially rotates at the commencement and also at the end of the record. The shaft is carried in bearings 25.

Attached to the hub of worm-wheel 23 is an arm 26, which rotates therewith and to which is pivotally attached a swinging pawl 27 by screw 28. The pawl has at its front end a notch 29, and its end exterior thereto is rounded to readily pass over pin 30 in hub 51. Back of the pivot-screw 28 the pawl extends downward or at about a right angle to the front part and is curved at its back and top edges, and from the top down the back edge is provided with a groove 31. The back part of the pawl has a side offset, which reversely curves and passes back of arm 26, as best seen in Figs. 5 and 6. A spring 32 is secured to arm 26, and its free end engages pawl 27 back of fulcrum-screw 28, tending to cause notch 29 to engage pin 30. A pressurebar 33, which engages pawl 27, is reversely and downwardly curved from its pawl-engaging end, but kept above foundation-plate 34 at point 35, after which it curves downward and then has a half-turn upward, forming a U shape, the rounded portion 36 being adapted to rest upon the foundation-plate, the back upright end 37 being inserted in a holder 38, mounted upon a bent support 39, in which is also formed a guiding-slot 40, opening outward. The rod fits freely in these parts, which permits its free movement atits front or pawl end both vertically and horizontally to enable the bar to freely follow the groove 31. The peculiar curvatures of the rod 33 are not essential, provided its shape is such as to preserve the points 35 36 for the purposes hereinafter set forth. A guide-plate 41 is secured to the bed-plate near pawl 27, stands upright back of the pawl, and has a guiding-opening 42, through which rod 33 is inserted, the opening being formed with rightangled corners at its top, the right-hand side extending a less distance down than the lefthand side, and the sides joined at the bottom by an incline 43.

Shaft 24 at its inner end is bent to form a crank 44, on which is loosely placed a hub 45, in which at one side is inserted a rod 46, which extends outward and passes freely through an openingin lug 47 of the bed-plate. This construction permits crank 44 to turn in hub 45 to move it up and down and back and forth, while preventing its rotating. .A lifter-rod 48 is inserted into the top of hub 45 and moves up and down and back and side of the end of locking-lever 56, which is fulcrumed at 57, where a spring 58 is secured, which at its free end engages pin 55 to cause it to enter notches 53 54. The lever 56 extends outward from its fulcrum and passes above an L-shaped lifter 59, operated by a hand-knob 60. A spring 6lis secured to the bed-plate and at its operative end presses against lifter 59, securing the lifter against self movement.

A vertical shaft 62 is stepped in the bedplate and supported at its upper end in bearing 63. The shaft carries at its top a plate 64, secured to the shaft by its hub 65 to partially rotate with the shaft. The plate extends outward from the shaft at each end, one end being pierced by a hole 66, through which is inserted for free vertical movement the outer ofiset end of elevator-arm 50. At the opposite end of the plate 64 are fixed guide-pins 67, so placed at each side of the arm-as to secure its side movement by plate 64 and also permit the elevation of the inner end of the arm by the lifter-rod 48. After passing pins 47 and bend 49 (heretofore described) the arm continues in course toward the sound-box; but before reaching it the arm is curved to the outer side of bar 8, above and outside of which it passes at 68 and doubling upon itself returns under bar 8 at 69 at an angle forward or outward, and then has an end 70 turned vertically above and inside of bar 8, forming a means to embrace bar 8, but not to tightly grasp it, as part 68 is to touch bar 8 and start stylus 6 to groove 5, and the end 70is to touch when the end of the record-curve is reached, and the stylus is to be automatically returned to repeat the record or commence another.

At the lower end of shaft 62 is secured hub 71 of vibrator-arm 72, the arm being formed to first pass inwardly toward the record and then turn at about a right angle and pass in direction nearly parallel with rod 46 until at a point opposite curve 35 of pressure-bar 33, when arm 72 is formed concentric with the center of shaft 62. The agitator-bar is clear of the bed-plate; but its top at the curved end touches bar 33 at 35 soon after the stylus catches the sonnd-groove,as will be explained hereinafter. A spring 73 has one end secured to the crank 44 of shaft 24 to rotate therewith, and in so doing its free end will press against the inclined surface 74 of the vibrator-lever 72, when the crank 44 moves to lower the stylus 6 and sound-box 7 to the record 3, "causing a movement of all parts attached to shaft 62 and advancing the stylus to the record-groove, when as soon as the stylus becomes engaged the spring 73 will become inoperative and cause no further movement of the agitator-lever or stylus, which will then be controlled by the sound-groove. A stop 75 is secured to the motor-case 1 to prevent the stylus from being carried beyond the edge of the record, and a stop-screw 76, inserted through lug 77, which may be adjusted to toucn vibrator-lever 72, will accomplish the same purpose.

The operation of our mechanism is as follows: At the termination of the record the crank 44 will be swung up, as seen in Fig.7, which action will move up and carry over rod 48, elevator-arm 50, bar 8, sound-box 7, and stylus 6 to the starting position, with the sound box and stylus elevated above the record side, as seen in Fig. 8. Now by turning knob 60 to throw up lifter 59 the lockinglever 56 will be moved to disengage pin 55 from notch 53, thus permitting the mechanism to act and the parts to commence to move, and during the first half-rotation of shaft 24 the crank 44 will assume its lower position, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3, carrying down lifterrod 43, when elevator-arm will pass down free and clear of bar'8 at point 69, so that stylus 6 will touch the top of record 3. The spring 73 will sweep along incline 74, moving agitator-lever 72, partially rotating shaft 62, and moving plate 64, which by pins 67 moves elevator-arm 50 sidewise by engaging bar 8 at 68, and thereby moving sound-box 7, so that stylus 6 is carried to and engaged in the records spiral sound-groove 5. During the time of the above movements the notch 54 of stop-plate 52 has engaged the pin of locking-lever 56, as seen in Fig. 3, causing shaft 24, its crank 44, and all parts attached thereto and moved thereby to remain stationary,

while the stylus follows the sound-groove to its termination. Owing to the spiral course of the sound-groove, together with its irregular waves, the arm 72 is continuously vibrated or agitated, and its curved part when in touch with pressure-bar 33 at 35 causes bar 33 to be also continuously agitated as long as the stylus follows the sound-groove. At each rotation of the worm-wheel 23 the arm26 and attached pawl 27 make one rotation around shaft 24, and pressure-bar 33 at each rotation meets groove 31, elevates the front end of the pawl, and prevents the notch 29 from engaging pin 30. The bar is carried over to the short side of opening 42 in guide-plate 41 by the reversed curve of groove 31 and dropped on incline 43, which will move the bar over to the long side of opening 43 to meet groove 31 at the next rotation of the pawl; but when the curved part of agitator-lever 72 moves under and in contact with pressure-bar 33 at 35 its agitation then moves bar 33 over as long as stylus 6 follows groove 5. When bar 33 engages groove 31, the bar is carried against the top of opening 43, thus bringing pressure upon the pawl back of screw 23, elevating the front end of the pawl to clear pin 30, and this continues as long as the stylus follows the sound-groove. .When the record is completed, the stylus 6 passes from the soundgroove 5 to the top of disk 3, and all agitation of lever 72 will cease. Bar 33 will now remain at the short side of opening 43 and will not engage groove 31 thereafter, and spring 32 will act, causing notch 29 to engage pin 30 to partially rotate shaft 24 to the position seen in Fig. 7, moving all of the connected parts and causing them to resume their proper places for the commencement of a new record, or if knob and lifter 59 have not been turned or placed so as'to lock lever and pin 55 the record will be repeated.

It will be seen that our mechanism is entirely automatic when once started and if not locked to prevent it will continue to repeat as long'as the motor continues to act.

As we have illustrated our mechanism it is shown as attached to existing machines; but with new machines it may readily be placed within the same case, and Whether the motor is spring-wound or otherwise its power can readily be applied tooperate our mechanism, only slight mechanical changes being necessary to accomplish such purpose. Dot-and-dash lines indicate the inclosing box or case we would employ in the present construction.

We claim 1. In a reproducer return mechanism, the combination with a motor-driven disk, of a sound-record mounted on the disk, a soundbox, a stylus and a horn, of means to automatically move the stylus to the commencement of the sound-groove of the record, and at the termination of the record, regardless of its length and without special adjustment for each record, to automatically elevate and carry the stylus, its sound-box and the attached horn end to the side of the record,

and above the same, and then look the parts in said position in manner and form substantially as set forth.

2. In a reproducer return mechanism, a motor-driven disk, a record supported on the disk, a stylus attached to a sound-box and adapted to engage the record sound-groove, means for the movement of the stylus to the record, means to unlock the mechanism,and to continue said unlocking, regardless of the length of the record, and to then automatically return the stylus to the commencement of the record, after its termination.

3. In a reproducer return mechanism, a stylus and a sound-box supported upon an arm pivoted to allow said stylus to pass from one side toward the center of a motor-driven record having a sound-groove, means also connected to the arm to elevate the stylus above the record, and lock and stop the mechanism when the stylus has assumed that position, means to unlock and start the mechanism, means to lower the stylus to the record, a locking-lever and means to elevate it, means to carry the stylus to the sound-groove, and at the end of the groove means to automatically elevate the stylus above the record,return it to its first position above the record side, and stop the connected mechanism, substantially in manner and form specified.

4. In areproducer return mechanism, a driven disk and record, a driven shaft, a second shaft, intermittingly and partially rotat- IIO - ing,'a pawland means for its rotating during the playing of the record, a pressure-bar engaging-the pawl-during its rotating, and after operate the lifting and return mechanism of the'sound-box and stylus, and a locking-leverengaging means to stop and lock the mechanism when so returned.

5. In a reproducer return mechanism, a

driven record, a stylus adapted to engage the record and supported upon a bar pivotally supported at its end opposite the stylus, an arm under the bar supporting one end ofthe same above the record and having means to alternately form contact with either side of the bar, means to support the arm for swinging, a vibrator-arm attached to the supporting means of the aforesaid arm, a driven shaft having thereon means to intermittently rotate a second shaft placed at about a right angle to the driven shaft and having means to engage the arm aforesaid; means to lock the second shaft, means to unlock the second shaft, means to partially rotate the shaft and operate its means which engage the elevatingarm, in direction to lower the pivotally-supported bar, its supporting-arm, and the stylus to the record and thereafter still further lower the arm free from the under side of the bar, and means connected to and operated by the right-angled shaft to yieldingly engage the vibrator-arm and thereby move it, the supporting-arm and pivotal bar, toward the records center and cause the stylus to engage the sound-groove of the record, in substantially the manner set forth.

-6. In a sound-producinginstrument, a record having a sound-groove, means to rotate the record, a stylus to follow the recordgroove, means to unlock the rotating means, means to start the stylus into the groove, means to permit the stylus and its attached and operative mechanism to continue operative as long as the stylus follows the groove,

and upon the passing of the stylus from the groove and upon the surface of the record, operative means to automatically lift the stylus from the record, return it to the side of the record and above and out of contact therewith, and lock and stop the mechanism a from moving, in manner and substantially as mencement of the record and driven by the means to rotate the record; a vibrator-arm attached to the swinging support of the elevator-arm, a pressure-bar supported at one end to permit the other end to move vertically and horizontally, and resting upon the vibrator-arm after the record has commenced to rotate; a shaft, a rotating pawl, pivotally supported, engaged by the pressure-bar at each rotation and rotated by the record-rotating means, and at each rotation having its engaging end pressed outward from its rotating center by the pressure-bar which, operated by the vibrator-arm, then engages means upon the-pawl to carry the bar end sidewise during each rotation while the stylus follows the sound-groove, and upon the passing of the stylus from the sound-groove prevents the pressu re-barbeing carried sidewise in the guiding-opening in the guide-plate, and from engaging the pawl, and thereby permits the pawl to engage and operate the shaft and the return mechanism connected thereto which elevates the stylus from the record and returns it to its position at the side and commencement of the record, substantially in manner and form set forth.

8. In a return mechanism, a record, a locking-lever, a locking-plate and a locking-pin, the plate so constructed as to be turned and thereby release the lever from engagement by its pin, said locking-plate being secured to a shaft, which, when such release takes place is driven to make a'semirotation and by means thereto attached and operated lowers a stylus to a sound-groove record, forces the stylus to engagement with the groove, and permits the rotating of the record means to permit the continued running of the record as long as-the stylus follows the soundgroove, and upon the passing of the stylusbeyond the sound-groove, means to unlock the shaft aforesaid, means to rotate the shaft after its unlocking, move its connected mechanism to elevate the stylus, and remove it to its original position above and at the side of the record, in manner and form substantially as set forth.

9. In a return mechanism, a driving-shaft,

a worm upon the shaft, a driven shaft, a

worm-wheel driven by the worm and surrounding and rotating freely around the driven shaft, an arm secured to the wormwheel, a pawl pivotally secured to the arm, and means attached to the arm and adapted to force the engaging end of the pawl toward the driven shaft, substantially as described.

10. In a return mechanism, adriven shaft, a worm upon the shaft, a worm-wheel driven by the worm, a shaft about which the wormwheel rotates, an arm secured to the wormwheel, a pawl pivotally secured to the arm, means to press the pawl toward the shaft, at

its front end; a pressure-bar, a back end for the pawl having means for the engagement of the pressure-bar to force the back end of the pawl toward the shaft and at the same time move the bar end to one side, substantially as set forth.

11. In a return mechanism, a record, a locking-lever, a lifter designed to elevate the lever end, and means to turn the lifter, a spring pressing against the lifter to prevent self-movement, a fulcrum for the lever, a pin inserted in the locking end of the lever, a spring secured in manner to press the pin for engagement, a shaft, a double-ended lockingplate secured to the shaft, having an engaging notch at each end, one notch when disengaged from the locking-lever permitting the rotating of the shaft and the starting of the mechanism, and the playing of the record, and the other notch when engaged by the pin permitting the repeating of the record after the return of the stylus to its first position, substantially as set forth.

12. In a return mechanism, a driven shaft, means thereto connected and thereby driven to rotate a pivotally supported pawl surrounding a second shaft, a pressure-bar pivotally secured and held at one end in manner to permit the other end to freely move vertically and horizontally, a foundation-plate, a bent part to the pressure-bar, which at the commencement of the record touches the foundation-plate and supports the bar when not engaged, a record, a sound-groove, a stylus, an agitator-arm having means to cause its agitation by the sinuosities of the soundgroove of the record, after the stylus has entered the sound-groove of the record and at which time a part of the agitator-arm enters under, supports and agitates the pressurebar when not engaging the pawl; a guideplate through which the pressurebar end passes, and in which is a guide-opening having an inclined side against which the pressure-bar descends and by which it is guided during the first part of the record-playing, a top to the opening against which the bar is forced when engaged by the pawl, and means upon the pivotal pawl aforesaid to engage the pressure-bar, carry it to and against the top of the guide-opening, remove it to one side, and. drop it to the guiding-incline during the first part of the record-playing, or until the agitator-arm has entered under the pressurebar, when the bar will drop thereon, substantially as specified.

13. In a return mechanism, a record having a groove, a driven shaft, means thereon and thereto connected to rotate a pivotally-supported pawl, a shaft around which the pawl rotates, a projection secured to the shaft, means to engage the pawl and projection and partially rotate theshaft, the movement taking place when the mechanism is unlocked and free to work, at the commencement of the record; and again at the conclusion of the record; a crank upon the shaft, means connected to, and thereby operated at its first movement, or partial rotating to lower the stylus and its connected mechanism to the recordgroove, and upon its second movement or partial rotation to lift the stylus and its connected mechanism from the record and carry them over to the first position above the record side and in place for again being lowered to the record, in manner and action substantially as set forth.

14. In a return mechanism,a driven record, a stylus and a sound-box, and mechanism to permit them to follow a sound-groove in the record, means to automatically return the sound-box and the stylus to the record side at the conclusion of the record, regardless of the length of the record, and without special adjustment for its termination,and an adjustable stop adapted to abut the mechanism upon its return and prevent the stylus from passing beyond the record, substantially as set forth.

15. In a sound-producinginstrument,'a record having a son nd-groove,mea ns to rotate the record, a stylus to follow the sound-groove, means to unlock the mechanism and start the stylus into the groove,means to permit the stylus and its attached and operative mechanism to continue operative to the end of the groove, regardless of its length, and upon the stylus passing from the groove, at the end of the record, operative means to lift the stylus from the record, return it to the side of the record, and above and out of contact therewith, and lock and stop the mechanism from running, in substantially the manner as set forth.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES C. CLIFFORD. ALFRED O. CLIFFORD. Witnesses:

W. H. ALcocK, R. C. WRIGHT. 

